The spirit of the season is out there I

The season of sparkle and magic is once again here. Tis the season of gift giving to be sure.

I would like to share some ideas to help you find a unique, special gift for the special people in your life. I always find unique gifts for my close friends. To me, it’s more than just a gift: I am sending warm wishes to them.

Also, the following gifts are not only good for the holidays, but great for the whole year.

Your Home State is Calling

Do you have a special connection with your home state, as well as where you currently live? I have a strong connection with my home state – Florida, with tons of wonderful memories there. I now live in Chicago and love it there, too.

The distance from Jacksonville, Florida to Chicago is 863 miles by air and 1,061 miles by road. But real friendship is not affected due to distance and time. I know because this is part of my story. I met one of my close friends in Jacksonville many years ago, when I lived there. This person has always helped me a lot and still does today. I now live in Chicago, but we still have close contact. We live in different cities but still share moments together: happy or funny, sad or upset. My friend always encourages, helps and supports me, and sees that I am growing. I know that while time rolls on, authentic friends remain with me, and true friendships grows stronger over time.

Words of thanks for this special friendship are not enough, so I helped to create this piece of art as a gift specifically designed by me. I chose the two states connecting me – Florida and Illinois – and told the artist the specific cities – Jacksonville and Chicago – and how I want to link those two cities. I chose the white shadowbox wood frame, then the store staff framed this for me, and I gave this to my Jacksonville friend.

This framed design tells our story of friendship, and even better, shows the love we both have of Florida. We are Floridians, we love Florida, and we have lots wonderful memories there.

If you are like me and feel a special bond with two states, you can create a similar map to tell your story. Trust me, this “States in Love” piece makes for the perfect gift – and it’s great for yourself, too!

The store creating this art – called FourSided – is one of my favorite stores in Chicago. It is a local small business and you can find special and unique gifts there. Other than this “states in love” puzzle piece, they have a lot of unique cards, posters and prints, framing and fun ideas. Good for your home decoration, too. The store also has cute decorations, a lot of balloons floating, and other ideas to show happiness.

Stop here and discover Foursided, a must stop for your holiday/occasion needs.